And as many cruise lines pay special mind to accessibility and inclusivity, they make traveling at any age (or solo) all the easier. If you're a senior looking for some post-retirement fun or are a well-seasoned traveler in need of your next adventure, book a cruise today.
You can choose the "Senior (Age 55+)" box to see if a discount is available. If you're interested in learning more about which itineraries have senior discounts, call the cruise line to ask. A representative or travel agent may be able to help you find a senior-specific deal.
In fact, a cruise is the perfect family vacation for seniors to partake in, because not only is the transportation part of the adventure, but there are plenty of activities for seniors to enjoy with the family as a group, or on their own should some family members choose to partake in other activities.
The cruise ship will have restaurants, shops, bars, swimming pools, and sporting activities. All of your entertainment needs will also be catered for whilst on board the ship. Some even have casinos for the gamblers out there. You don't need to arrange excursions or travel anywhere.
The average cruise passenger is 47 years old. Caribbean cruises carry the youngest passengers with an average age of 43 years old. The oldest passengers can be found on world cruise ships, with an average age of 62 years old.
Royal Caribbean International appeals to adventure-seeking families as well as couples and singles in their 30s to 50s. The median age is low-40s, slightly lower on three- and four-night cruises and slightly higher on longer cruises of 10 or more nights.
Typical NCL passengers are couples ages 25 to 60, and include a fair number of honeymooners and families with kids during summers and holidays.
Princess appeals to an older demographic than lines such as Carnival and Norwegian. The average age of passengers is around 57, and you'll usually see a lot of couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s. As noted above, these aren't people necessarily craving go-kart tracks and ropes courses at sea.
Why A Cruise? While it may not seem worth it to take your aging loved one with dementia on a cruise, it can actually be a great source of joy and excitement for them. Cruises can provide a beautiful and relaxing environment with scenic views that both caregivers and those with dementia can enjoy.
Hurricane Season
For these reasons, September is the worst month of the year to take a cruise. April and May are excellent times to go because they are outside of the hurricane season, although some Caribbean destinations see more rainfall than normal in May.
November through April is the dry season, and these months are marked by unbelievably clear days when almost any plans you make are safe from the weather's interruption. For this reason, the dry season is one of the best times to go on a cruise to the idyllic Caribbean islands.
The most frequently reported cruise ship outbreaks involve GI infections (e.g., norovirus), respiratory infections (e.g., coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19], influenza), and other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), such as varicella.
“Cruise vacations are a great option for seniors because they can do as much or as little as they want, depending on their level of ability,” says Ronald Pettit, senior specialist access manager with Royal Caribbean International. “Some seniors are quite active, while others are more relaxed.”
Instead of limbo and pool deck activities, guests can expect more lectures and information on the history and culture of each destination visited. Viking offers onboard entertainment like destination-themed performances, expert-led lectures, and cooking classes.
Kids Cruise Free Offer: Guests ages 18 and under (“children”) are eligible to travel free (Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses are additional) when booked as a 3rd and/or 4th guest on select cruises. Limit up to two free children per eligible booking. Offer excludes Alaska cruisetours; other exclusions may apply.
The luxurious accommodations, stylish design, innovative spaces, and world-class dining you'll find onboard Celebrity Cruises is perfect for people of all ages—seniors included.
You want to be as close to the pivot point as possible to feel the least movement. Avoid cabins near the front (bow) or back (stern) and on decks higher than the middle deck of the ship. So, on a ship with fourteen passenger decks, your best options are below deck seven.
The Captain is the highest ranking officer and the Master of the cruise ship. He/she has a full authority to make executive decisions in order to preserve the life and safety of the ship's personnel and guest and must apply extreme care and proper judgement according to...
Suites: If you're looking for luxury on your cruise, suites offer the most space and best room locations, often with separate living and sleeping areas. They generally feature large balconies, and extra amenities and perks. In other words, a suite can be considered the best cabin on any cruise ship.
Approximately 400 people have gone missing from cruise ships in the past 20 years. While this is no cause for general alarm, given that approximately 30 million people take cruise ship vacations each year, it is still a dangerous and concerning statistic.
Most of us know the iconic story of the Titanic, which tragically sunk in 1912. Other than that incident, there have only been 22 cruise ships that have sunk in the last hundred years.
While cruising attracts many different types of travelers, they share some traits. Nationwide, cruise passengers tend to be slightly older than other vacationers, with a median age of 47, and 54 for Alaska.
How Common is it to Get Sick on a Cruise? 15% of people have reported feeling seasick while onboard. In our experience we can add an other 10% of passengers that will suffer from other illness, such as colds, flu and hangovers.
“People often associate cruise ships with acute gastrointestinal illnesses, such as norovirus, but acute gastrointestinal illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships,” the CDC says on its “Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships” page.